The Lord Commander and The Dragon Queen
by Esm3rald
Summary: Ex Mob Queen Daenerys Targaryen, by now wanted internationally, is pregnant and hiding away in Pentos. But Khal Drogo's betrayal leads her to Dragonstone once again where she will try to take back what was once hers. There, beside Lord Commander Ned Stark – the cop who has once saved her life –, she will have to deal with a new comer as well, Ned's estranged son, Jon Snow.
1. Prologue

**The Lord Commander and The Dragon Queen**

 **Summary:** Ex Mob Queen Daenerys Targaryen, by now wanted internationally, is pregnant and hiding away in Pentos. But Khal Drogo's betrayal leads her to Dragonstone once again where she will try to take back what was once hers. There, beside Lord Commander Ned Stark – the cop who has once saved her life –, she will have to deal with a new comer as well, Ned's estranged son, Jon Snow. AU – Modern Setting. Eventually Jon/Daenerys (NO INCEST, Jon is not Rhaegar's son in this story). Heavily Inspired by the Italian TV Series Anti-Mafia Squad and in particular the relationship between Rosy Abate and Domenico Calcaterra. AU – Modern Setting.

 **So, this is an idea I had for a long time and I finally decided to write it. It's inspired by the Italian TV Series Anti-Mafia Squad and especially the couple Rosy/Calcaterra (this story starts from season3 of Anti-Mafia Squad). You don't need to watch Anti-Mafia Squad to understand or like this story however; actually, it'll be better if you don't watch it so it won't spoil the surprise (though some things will be rather different from the Italian series).**

 **This story was supposed to have a prequel to cover the first 2 seasons of Anti-Mafia Squad but I don't know if I'll ever write it. The first four chapters of this story will serve as a big summary of the prequel so you won't be confused when the actual story begins. In the prequel story Jon Snow is not present. I decided to do things this way because, otherwise, you would be forced to wait a long time for the appearance of Jon Snow and truth to be told I'm too impatient as well. However, before Jonerys happens, you'll have to wait a while. I hope you can be patient.**

 **Just a warning, while the major relationship in this story will be Jon and Daenerys, there will be mentions of Jon and Dany both with other people as well (though I won't describe these relationships in a graphic way unlike Jon and Dany). This story will have mentions of Daenerys/Hizdahr zo Loraq (little more than one chapter) and Daenerys/Robb Stark (two chapters at the most), very brief Daenerys/Drogo (not even one entire chapter, just a few scenes) and one-sided Daenerys/Daario and Daenerys/Tyrion and (much, much later) minor Daenerys/Tommen (who will be older in this story than Canon and he won't be Cersei and Jaime's son nor Robert Baratheon's - I imagine him as Toby Regbo aka Francis from Reign. Here as well, one chapter at the most). With Jon, there will be mentions of Jon/Val and minor Jon/Ygritte and Jon/Ros (much, much later) and one-sided Jon/Sansa (they're not related in this story).  
**

 **Warnings: Major Characters' Death (though not Jon and Dany, though I can't promise the same about everyone else), descriptive violence, descriptive sex, swearing etc.**

 **BTW, the term Lord Commander in this story is used to refer to the role of deputy commissioner in the police while Dragonstone in this story is a city instead of a castle though the island where the city of Dragonstone is, is called Dragonstone as well. King's Landing is the capital of Westeros though this Westeros is a republic, not a monarchy.**

 **Prologue**

 _Dragonstone, 6_ _th_ _September 1992_

The police officer raised his hand in a clear sign for the car to stop at the side of the road. It was a routine check for those leaving Dragonstone, headed towards the harbor.

"Good morning, sir. Your Driving License, please."

The driver, one Aerys Targaryen, grumbled in irritation to his wife, sitting in the seat next to his, not even trying to lower his voice, "Don't they have anything bloody better to do than fucking bother us?"

"Aerys, please. Language." His wife Rhaella rebutted.

"Why? What did I say?"

In the backseat sat a child, barely more than six, with hair like spoon silver and bright violet eyes. She was looking through the window at the other police officer, standing in silence near the car. He was young, barely more than thirty-five, with a long, solemn face, dark hair and grey eyes.

Daenerys – or Dany as people tended to call her because Daenerys was such a mouthful of a name for a child – decided to make funny faces at the man just to see him smile. She rolled her eyes and moved her eyebrows in a funny way to get his attention.

The man smiled at her and asked her, "What's your name?"

"Dany." Daenerys answered, clutching her doll close to her chest.

"Stop it Dany or you'll end up with crossed eyes." Rhaella said in reprimand.

Dany pouted and stopped for a few seconds but then continued when her mother wasn't looking. The officer smiled in amusement and pulled out his tongue, thinking of his children waiting for him at home.

"Good, you can go." The other officer said, giving Aerys his driver license back. The car started again and Ned Stark – that was the name of the grey-eyed officer – waved at Dany in goodbye.

Ned had just turned his back to the car when he heard a loud boom. He snapped his neck around and noticed the car where the child had been was overturned, with small flames and smoke coming from it.

He didn't stop to think about what he was doing, he started to run, intent on at least saving the child, ignoring the protests of his colleague who was trying to stop him.

He knelt in front of the car and noticed with relief that the child – Dany – was still conscious though she was bleeding. Ned stretched his arms towards the child, regardless of the broken glass cutting his skin. Finally, after long seconds, he was able to get the child out of the car and not a moment too soon, because the car exploded. Ned hugged the child close to his chest, trying to calm her down.

Minutes later Dany was brought away in an ambulance while a paramedic tended to Ned's bleeding arm. The Lord Commander of the Police in Dragonstone – Jon Arryn – made his way into the scene just in that moment, a frown on his face.

"Stark, do you know who those people were? You risked your life for a family of mobsters."

Ned Stark didn't answer, instead he showed the Lord Commander the silver necklace Dany had lost – there was the name 'Dany' engraved on it plus the letters AB+. "She had this on her neck. Must be her blood type."

Lord Commander Arryn rolled his eyes. "Go to the hospital if you have to. I won't stop you, but remember…that girl has bad blood, her destiny is already sealed."

"I don't believe in destiny, unless it's the one we make."


	2. Interlude 1

**Here's the first of four chapters that will serve as a sort of summary for the prequel I intend to write. After that the real story begins. I advise you to read these chapters or it's very possible that you won't understand the rest of the story.**

 **BTW, Ned is older than Rhaegar in this story (Ned is 50 and Rhaegar is 45). Viserys is 30. Arianne, though she's just mentioned, is the same age as Viserys. Oberyn Martell is the same age as Rhaegar. Benjen is four years younger than Ned like in Canon. And Dany is 20. Robb is one year younger than Jon (who is a few years older than Dany in this story, he'll be 25 when he shows up in the story). Robb is 22 right now.**

 **Also, the 'White Cloaks' is the name of the section of the police that deals with the organized crime (therefore the Anti-Mafia squad) in Dragonstone. The same is 'Winterfell' that is obviously not a castle in this story. Wintertown is a city (instead of a little town) in the North.**  
 **The 'Iron Throne', in this story, is the name of the Mob organization in the Crownlands - like Cosa Nostra is the name of the Mob in Sicily.**

 **Interlude 1**

 _15 Years Later_

"Seems our luggage remained in Braavos." Hizdahr said from behind her, bringing Daenerys out of her contemplation of Dragonstone airport, the airport – just like the city – she hadn't seen since she was five years old.

"What? No! That's impossible! This is a disaster! There's my wedding dress inside." When she noticed Hizdahr laughing she became irritated. "What are you laughing about?"

Hizdahr shrugged his shoulders and said, "I don't know, it's just…" He moved to the side just enough for her to see the luggage that was hidden behind him.

Daenerys glared at him. "Idiot! You're a damn idiot! What are you thinking, making jokes like that?"

"Well actually, there's no much fun in it. You believe in everything…"

"Good then. Why don't you find someone else to marry then?" Daenerys said before starting to walk quickly past him, pretending to be really angry.

"Oh, come on Dany, I'm joking!"

"You know how tense I am but no…you don't care." She said with her most irritated voice, though a grin graced her face, one he couldn't see because he was a few steps away from her. "You keep acting like a fool…"

"Dany! Dany!" Hizdahr said, reaching her back. "I'm sorry!"

Dany smirked and turned around. "Oh, you're sorry?" She raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.

"I'm sorry!" He repeated.

Dany kept her serious face for a few more seconds before smiling and kissing him. "I'm messing with you!"

Hizdahr sighed in relief.

"Come on, you fool, hurry up! I can't wait to see my family again!" She started to run, leaving Hizdahr the luggage to carry.

* * *

"Just a way to buy your love and acceptance." Hizdahr joked, referring to the expensive gifts he and Daenerys had just doled out to Daenerys' family – her brothers Rhaegar and Viserys, Viserys' wife Arianne and Dany's nephew, Rhaegar's only son, Aegon. The entire Targaryen family – except for Arianne, of course, - shared the same traits: pale silver hair and various shades of violet for the eyes. They were also all extremely handsome.

"And you think a few gifts are enough for that?" Rhaegar, the oldest of Dany's brothers, asked with a stern face. "Think about making my sister happy instead. We're normal people but my sister is very special."

"I know." Hizdahr said, looking at Daenerys with love plain in his eyes. Hizdahr was as well a handsome man, with black curly hair, skin the colour of milk and coffee, and kind dark eyes.

"Come on, then. Go put your things away, then we'll think about all the wedding plans." Both Hizdahr and Daenerys got up from the sofa they were sitting on in the living room of the mansion the Targaryen family lived in. Once Hizdahr passed by Rhaegar, the silver-haired man stopped him with a hand on his forearm. "Of course, until the day of the wedding you'll sleep in separate rooms. We're not in Essos here."

Hizdahr looked first at Rhaegar then at Daenerys, unsure if Rhaegar was serious or not.

Dany laughed. "Come on, he's joking!" Hizdahr laughed uncomfortably but let Daenerys lead him away and up the stairs towards the second floor.

"What is it that your brothers do exactly?" Hizdahr asked once away from the Targaryen brothers' earshot.

"Hum, I don't know, something that has to do with constructions, I think. Like in Braavos. Anyway, what do you care? You're already thinking of the dowry, aren't you?"

"Of course."

Dany laughed and said, "Come on, this way." They walked through the corridor of the second floor until Dany stopped in front of a room. "And this is ours."

"Ah? It's ours, hum?" And with that, he grabbed Dany around the waist, kissing her passionately.

* * *

"It's good to see you again Ned." Jon Arryn said to his old friend Ned Stark. They were standing just outside the airport. Jon Arryn had been old when Ned had last seen him fifteen years ago but now he looked positively ancient. And yet, he had no intention of retiring anytime soon.

"It's good to see you again too Jon." Ned replied with one of his rare smiles. "So, what is it?"

"A marriage." Jon replied, opening the door of his car on the driver's side.

"Ah? So, you're getting married…again?"

Jon laughed. "It's not my marriage. Come on, get in and I'll explain."

* * *

"Nothing is as it's supposed to be." Dany complained, looking at the wrong types of flower compositions the florist had sent. When she noticed Hizdahr laughing, she turned to glare at him. "Why are you laughing? I feel like crying."

"Come on, relax."

"And how am I supposed to relax? There are a million things to do. I can't do it all on my own. There's the menu to check, the table seats, the wedding dress fitting. I can't do it."

"Therefore, why you need to relax."

"It's our marriage. I want it to be…"

Hizdahr grabbed Dany's face in his hands, their gazes meeting. "I just want to marry you."

"And make a lot of babies, hum?" Dany laughed and kissed him all over his face.

Their effusions were interrupted by a strange sound: a horse neighing. Dany turned around and gasped, seeing a beautiful white horse a few feet away from her. "What a marvel!" She gasped in awe.

She walked to it like in a trance and started to caress its muzzle. Hizdahr grabbed her arm and moved her away from the animal. "Easy, easy! What are you supposed to be, a cowgirl?"

"Daenerys has always loved horses." A voice said. Dany turned to see a man, a handsome one, probably around the same age as her brother Rhaegar, appearing from behind the white horse. He looked vaguely familiar but she couldn't place him. He was tall, with golden brown skin and both very dark hair and eyes. "I remember once, during the Festival of the Mother, there was this carousel with horses. Her brother Rhaegar and I promised her we would bring her but we had another commitment first. We were late and we returned home that it was night. She had waited for us on the front door. As soon as she saw us coming, she ran towards us, crying. She started to hit the both of us with her small fists, saying: 'You promised, you promised'."

Daenerys had listened to the man's speech like enchanted. Hizdahr had noticed Daenerys' fascination because he glared suspiciously at him.

"Darling, don't you remember Oberyn? He's Arianne's uncle." Rhaegar interjected.

Daenerys shook her head, still in a daze.

"Oh, well. It's normal. You were seven, more or less, the last time we saw each other."

"Yeah, okay. Now take this thing away." Viserys ordered from Rhaegar's side, pointing to the animal. "It stinks."

Oberyn turned to look at him, unimpressed. Rhaegar noticed Oberyn's look because he said, "Forgive him, at this one you have to give him only things that go on the highway." Then he pointed at the cigarette in Viserys' mouth. "Turn off this cigarette, dunce."

Oberyn turned away from both Viserys and Rhaegar to look at Daenerys once again. "His name is Silver." He said, meaning the horse. "He's a thoroughbred. Best wishes, guys." He continued, including Hizdahr as well. "Do you want to take a ride?"

Hizdahr shook his head, his face impassive. "No, thank you. Another time."

"And you?" Oberyn asked Dany.

Dany looked at Hizdahr first then shook her head, no.

"That's a shame." And with that he jumped on the horse himself and started to ride him all around the garden of the Targaryen mansion. Dany looked at him impressed, noticing the easy familiarity of Oberyn on a saddle.

"Who's that man?" Hizdahr asked, his tone both irritated and suspicious.

Dany shrugged. "I don't know. You know I don't remember much of the time my parents were still alive."

* * *

Ned waited patiently for Jon to explain why he had asked him to come to Dragonstone but after long minutes spent in silence he finally asked, "So, this marriage?"

"I'll tell you as soon as we arrive."

"Arrive where?" Ned asked, more and more confused.

"Where I'm sure no one is listening." Jon simply said with a serious expression on his face.

Jon stopped the car in the parking lot of a shopping centre. Ned frowned, not understanding his friend's choice in venue. "Why did you bring me here?" He asked Jon once they had reached the ground floor and were about to get up the escalator.

"Because from here you can see the whole of Dragonstone."

" _Okay_ , but I'm already familiar with Dragonstone."

"You used to be, Ned. But Dragonstone has changed. And it keeps changing."

The two of them didn't exchange another word until they were safely inside a glass elevator. Finally, Jon continued, "The Essosi are back, the runaways. The ones the Baratheon family had chased away 15 years ago. Some just to come back home, others to take back what was once theirs. Of course, this doesn't stand well with Baratheon and his allies. They know that there are some who want revenge. Now, it can be that Baratheon allies and runaways will wage war against each other or they could strike a deal. The only certain thing is that the Iron Throne wants to get back on its feet and those who returned are back with a lot of money, very powerful weapons and very clear ideas as well." The entire time Jon was talking, he kept looking around him almost if he was expecting to be attacked at any moment. While they were about halfway between the third and fourth floor, Jon pushed the stop button and the elevator remained suspended in the air.

"Why did you push alt?"

"If you decide to stay, what I'm about to tell you remains between you and me; if you leave, you have to forget everything I'm about to tell you, do you understand? I've got my eyes on a list."

"What list?" Ned asked, curious.

"Names. Important ones. You don't even imagine how high up in King's Landing, all of them in the hands of the Iron Throne. They blackmail them, they can make them do whatever they want. In this list there's a huge name."

"Who?" Ned asked but before Jon Arryn could answer him, a bullet hit him, right in the chest. "Jon! Jon!" He tried to put pressure on the wound but it was too late. Jon Arryn was dead.

Ned pushed the alt button again and waited impatiently for the elevator to stop. As soon as it did, Ned rushed outside, in the pursuit of the person who had just shot his friend and colleague. He saw the man running and gave chase. "Stop! It's the police! Stop or I'll shoot!" He ran after the man but before he could reach him, the man jumped on a scooter and rode away.

Half an hour later the body of Jon Arryn was moved from the elevator and put on a stretcher before being covered with a sheet. The police officers who worked with Arryn joined the scene and stood around his body, still incredulous about what had just happened.

* * *

"No one better than you can figure out who killed Jon Arryn." Superintendent Barristan Selmy was saying to the team of police officers that dealt exclusively with the organized crime – they were called White Cloaks. "Who ordered the murder and why." Then he pointed to Ned who was standing next to him. "Lord Commander Ned Stark of Winterfell. Jon had asked him to work alongside him in his investigations. I've spoken with the Chief in King's Landing and we think it logical for him to be the one to coordinate the group at this phase. So, I guess, all there's left to say is…good luck!" Ned thanked him and with that, Selmy left the room.

"Benjen." Ned called his younger brother who had worked in Dragonstone for more than ten years. "What are you thinking?"

Benjen stood up and went in front of the white blackboard filled with photos of Jon Arryn's body, possible suspects and with various notes on it. "Robert Baratheon. He's the most powerful man at the moment in Dragonstone among the Mob families. I doubt anyone else would dare act without his approval."

* * *

"Are you fucking kidding me? Nobody did anything. Then, who killed the cop? A jealous husband?" Baratheon bawled out to the people sitting around the restaurant table, the representatives of all the Mob families in Dragonstone. He was a big man and his voice carried to the back of the room. The restaurant was empty except for them, however.

"No. _We_ killed him, of course." Oberyn said flatly. "After all, it's always the runaways' fault if something happen, Lord Baratheon, isn't it?" Oberyn stood up from the table and went to the counter to pour himself a glass of brandy. "Robert Baratheon, the man who matters most in Dragonstone, insinuates that we are the ones who killed Jon Arryn and, if it were so, instead of pointing your finger at us, you should be thanking us." Oberyn returned to the table in the place next to Rhaegar Targaryen's. "Everyone knew that one was prying on your affairs."

" _I_ don't do shit like this. _I_ do not kill cops." Robert Baratheon replied, drinking from the glass of wine in his hands.

"Yeah, and in the meantime, you have one less problem to deal with _and_ the chance to blame us for it." Oberyn replied with an ironic smile.

"I'm not blaming anyone. I'm just asking for an explanation. I'm just trying to point out the fact that since you runaways came back, things are happening that aren't supposed to."

"With all due respect Lord Baratheon," Rhaegar intervened in the discussion. "We came back after erasing the hatred and resentfulness caused by the loss of our loved ones. And, before coming back, we asked your father for permission. Permission that was granted. Now, what else are we supposed to do so that we can live in peace in our home, here, where we were born, hum? What else are supposed to do?"

"Sooner or later we'll find out who killed that cop." Oberyn continued then. "In the meantime, let's stop leering at each other and distrusting each other. Let's think about looking forward. Business is Business. Let's just think about business, the common good. Keep thinking about the past is completely useless."

Robert glared at both Oberyn and Rhaegar before saying, "I hope for your sake you're telling the truth because, if I find out you're lying, what happened 15 years ago between yours and our relatives, in comparison, will be a walk in the park. Have I made myself clear?"

* * *

"Hey Dad. Welcome to the White Cloaks." Robb Stark said with a smile before embracing his father.

Ned laughed and returned the hug. "Seems the entire Stark family has decided to move to Dragonstone and join the White Cloaks, hum?"

Robb shrugged. "It's a job both dangerous _and_ honorable. Can't think of anything better than that. And at least we don't freeze our arses off here unlike in Wintertown."

Ned laughed again. "True." Then he became serious. "So, what do you think of all this? Do you agree with Benjen, about Robert Baratheon being the one responsible for Jon Arryn's death?"

"It's very likely."

Ned nodded. "Maybe. But I'm not sure. Robert Baratheon is cut from the same cloth as his father. He would have never killed a cop. It's not in their philosophy. They live in the shadows as much as they can, they don't want to attract attention to themselves."

"Well, it depends. They don't kill you if by being dead you annoy them more than by being alive, but if by being alive you bother them too much, they stop caring about their philosophy."

"You're right." Ned agreed but his doubts remained.

* * *

Daenerys left the jewelry store, looking at the expensive watch her brother Rhaegar had bought her as a welcome home gift. "Thank you Rhaegar, thank you!" She said to him, jumping into his arms and kissing his check.

"Come on, get off! Get off! There are people around!" Rhaegar pushed her away in embarrassment.

Dany smirked at her brother's reaction but let it go, still admiring her gift. "So beautiful!"

"Very!" Rhaegar agreed.

Then her phone vibrated in her purse and when she took it out, she noticed someone had sent her a text. When Dany opened it, she gasped.

"What is it?" Rhaegar asked, concerned.

Daenerys smiled brilliantly at him. "Ned Stark! He's in Dragonstone."

"Stark?" Rhaegar's voice sounded weird.

"Yeah, the cop. I want to invite him to my wedding."

Rhaegar shook his head. "Absolutely not."

"But why? Why not? He's here. It's a sign, don't you see?" Daenerys looked at her big brother with pleading eyes, eyes that she knew Rhaegar couldn't say no to.

Rhaegar sighed and shook his head in defeat. Daenerys smiled and jumped in his arms once again. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Stop it, come on!" Rhaegar complained once again.

Daenerys laughed jovially. "What is it? Are you embarrassed?"

"You always get what you want, don't you?" Rhaegar asked in exasperation.

"With you, at least, I do." Dany smirked back at him.

* * *

Daenerys got off the taxi and ran towards Ned, embracing him. "Ned! It's so good to see you!"

Once they had separated, Ned looked at her. "You become more beautiful every time I see you."

Dany shook her head. "It's just because I'm happy. Come on, let's go to the market."

They started to walk among the stalls that mostly sold food coming from the Reach, the most fertile region in Westeros.

"I feel awful," Daenerys continued while browsing the various stalls and picking something or another every now and then. "I sent you a letter to tell you I got engaged but I forgot to invite you to the wedding."

Ned waved a hand carelessly. "I'm sure you have so many things to worry about. Anyway, why have you decided to get married here in Dragonstone?"

Dany shrugged. "Because my family came back here and anyway, Hizdahr agreed with me about having the wedding here. He thinks it's going to endear him to my brothers. Poor Hizdahr. Rhaegar is cold as ice towards him, Viserys treats him like crap. The only one who is a little kind towards him is my nephew Aegon."

"And when are you planning on going back to Braavos?" Ned asked. The question might have seemed casual but the truth was, Ned wanted Daenerys as far away from Dragonstone as possible. With everything that was going on lately, it wasn't safe for her to stay here.

"We're going to have a tour of the major cities in Westeros and then we'll go back. Hizdahr has a good job there and I like the city. I like my little house with the red door and the lemon tree outside my window. I like the background noise that you can hear even at night. And I especially like the fact that I always have to spell my name T-A-R-G-A-R-Y-E-N, because there nobody knows who I am."

"And Dragonstone? Don't you ever miss it?"

"Of Dragonstone I miss my father's glasses or the smell of brewed coffee in the morning that mom always used to drink. No, this is not my city Ned." Dany had become a little melancholic at remembering her parents but she shook it off quickly and asked Ned with a smile, "What about you?"

"I'm just happy for you." Ned replied with one of his rare smiles.

"By the way, the ceremony will be held in the garden outside. All my closest relatives will be there, and Hizdahr's of course. But please, try to at least come to the party after."

"Of course. I wouldn't miss it."

* * *

Rhaegar and Oberyn walked side by side in the garden behind Oberyn's mansion.

"The cop friends with my sister is in town. Dany has decided to invite him to the wedding." Rhaegar said cautiously, unsure about Oberyn's reaction to the news.

"And what's the problem?" Oberyn shrugged. "I just want to see Daenerys happy. Her well-being is my well-being. And it's not like we have something to hide, do we?"

Rhaegar was skeptical but kept silent.

* * *

"The one who pulls the strings, I believe, is him. Rhaegar." Ned was saying to his team, pointing at the photo of Rhaegar Targaryen on the table in front of him, the other members of the Targaryen family captured in other photos next to his. "He's been like a father to Daenerys and to his brother Viserys. When I met him, 15 years ago, he seemed older than his thirty years, serious and melancholic."

"I don't know Ned." Benjen disagreed. "They all seem like small fishes, nothing like they used to be, when the Targaryen family reigned over Dragonstone. Though they are getting bigger lately, they still remain of little influence."

"I, on the other hand, am convinced that, if we want to understand what's going on, we need to keep a close eye on them."

"That's what we're doing, Dad." Robb said with a smirk.

"Good. Daenerys invited me to her wedding and I plan on going."

* * *

"I hereby seal these two souls, binding them as one for eternity." Septon Ray pronounced. "Cursed be those who would seek to tear them apart. Look upon each other and say the words."

Daenerys and Hizdahr looked at each other and said in unison, "Father, Smith, Warrior, Mother, Maiden, Crone, Stranger…"

"I am hers and she is mine." "I am his and he is mine." "From this day, until the end of my days."

* * *

After the ceremony Daenerys and her new husband went from person to person, thanking them for coming and exchanging a few pleasant words with them.

Daenerys finally noticed Ned, standing a little apart from the other guests, sitting on the banister outside, in front of the entrance door.

"Ned!" Dany immediately went to him, always happy to see her saviour. "I'm so happy you came."

Ned smiled at her. "Of course. I couldn't miss it. You look beautiful tonight." She did indeed look beautiful with her flowing long white wedding dress, her hair collected in a long braid down her back.

Daenerys smiled at him. "Thank you. You look very dashing yourself." She said, looking at the tuxedo Ned was wearing.

"Hey!" Hizdahr said from behind her. Ned returned the greeting. Hizdahr turned to Dany then, "Come, there's something my parents want to show you."

Dany nodded and said to Ned, "Eat, drink, have fun, even if you don't know anyone."

"If it can make you feel better, neither do I." Hizdahr joked before the two newlyweds walked away.

* * *

"Can you believe it?" Viserys complained, looking at Ned Stark sitting outside. "Your sister has gone crazy. She brought a cop in our house."

Rhaegar raised an eyebrow at him, unimpressed. "First of all, that cop saved her life. Second of all, the marriage is hers and she can invite whomever she wants. Third thing, stop fucking bother me."

"I don't mean to bother you. But I'm keeping an eye on that one."

"Look at her." Rhaegar said, indicating Daenerys who was smiling and laughing, her new husband at her side. "She's never been this happy. I don't want anything to go wrong and ruin this for her. Do you understand?"

* * *

"Hurray for the newlyweds! Wait, let's take a picture!" Rhaegar said, camera in hands. "How the hell does this flash work? Aegon, you do it!"

The people around them laughed, Aegon taking the camera from his father's hands and taking a picture of the bride and groom.

"Rhaegar Targaryen?" A voice from behind him asked.

"Yes?"

"Lord Commander Ned Stark, you have to come with me." Stark said, bringing Rhaegar's hands behind his back and handcuffing him.

"What? What the fuck are you saying? Are you joking?" Rhaegar protested while Ned dragged him away towards the door.

"No joke."

"Can we at least wait…?" Rhaegar asked, watching as Viserys was arrested and dragged away from the party as well.

"No, we can't wait." Stark replied, long face set in a serious expression.

"You're going to regret this!" Rhaegar threatened but Ned ignored him.

Daenerys had watched the whole scene halfway between disbelief and anger though she kept a smile on her face for the sake of the other guests. Ned owned her some explanations.

* * *

Daenerys tried for the million time to call Ned but she received no answer. Fed up she threw the phone on the bed where she was sitting. Hizdahr was standing by the window, looking outside. It was night – their wedding night in fact – hours had passed since the wedding and they still didn't know why Rhaegar and Viserys had been arrested.

"Okay, maybe they made a mistake." Hizdahr said, finally turning around to look at her. "Must be nothing."

"Nothing? You think it's nothing?" Daenerys raised her voice in anger. "The police dragged away my brothers in the middle of the wedding reception but it's nothing? No, there must be something."

Hizdahr sighed and went to sit at the foot of the bed. "I can't believe it. It's a mess. It's really a fucking mess. How long have we been married? 12 hours? Less than 12 hours? Look at us. Okay, I don't know what your brothers did and I don't care. I don't want to know. But you and I? We'll stay out of it."

"What?" Daenerys asked, standing up in a sudden move and glaring at her husband. "What are you talking about? They're my brothers, my family! How can you ask me to stay out of it? How?" She screamed but at Hizdahr's look she immediately calmed down. "Oh, my gods, I'm sorry. Sorry!" A kiss, "Sorry!" Another one.

"The truth is that we should have never come back." Daenerys said then, Hizdahr's arms around her. "I'm so sorry!"

* * *

Daenerys waited in front of the police headquarters for her two brothers to be released. Whatever charges the police had made against them, they had been dropped, at least for the moment. Dany still had no idea what was that her brothers had been accused of though.

The most important thing though was that her brothers were about to return home.

"My sweet sister, all's well, see?" Rhaegar said as soon as he was standing in front of her. Dany didn't answer, she simply embraced him. "Cops must be cops but we have nothing to hide. I'm just sorry that they ruined your wedding day."

"You have to thank that cop friend of yours for that." Viserys said from the other side of the car they were all standing beside, the one Dany had used to drive there. "Come on, now, let's go home."

* * *

In the middle of the night, two men parked a white van in front of a furniture store. One of them got out of it while the other stayed behind to keep watch. In his hand there were a few sticks of dynamite tied together with a string. The man used the cigarette he was smoking to light the fuse before returning to the van. In a few seconds the handmade bomb went off, the entire front of the store going up in flames.

* * *

"Good." Lord Baratheon nodded, satisfied. One of his lackeys had reported that the warning sent to the Targaryens had been received. "I'm the one who vouches for this area, if there's trouble, I'm the one who has to answer for it. This the Targaryens have yet to understand. But they will."

* * *

"Wait!" Daenerys called out to her brothers who were about to leave in their car. She went down the stairs that led to the entrance door until she had reached the garden, a tray with steaming tea on it.

"My sweet, what are you doing up so early?" Rhaegar said with a smile.

"I made tea. Come on." She poised the tray on the banister.

Rhaegar reached her sister's side and poured a cup for himself. "You're a sweetheart, you are."

Viserys poured tea for himself as well before walking away towards the car. Dany looked at him with a glare.

"Thank you." Rhaegar said, to make up for Viserys' rudeness. "He's a jerk, don't mind him."

Dany smiled at her big brother before noticing Aegon's gym bag left, like forgotten, a few feet away, against the bark of a tree. "Look where Aegon left his bag. As soon as he returns home…" she left the threat unsaid.

"Good." Rhaegar approved of her with a smile. "He needs to respect you, everybody does."

Daenerys walked towards the bag then and was just about to grab it when she heard Rhaegar's voice telling her to move away. Then arms grabbed her and pushed her to the side. Then she heard a loud boom and she screamed. Rhaegar had been hit.

"Rhaegar! Rhaegar! Oh, gods!" Dany shook Rhaegar's shoulders in an effort to wake him up but her brother was unresponsive, lying unconscious on the ground. His beautiful face was bleeding and his suit was drenched in blood as well. "Rhaegar, wake up! Answer me!"

Hizdahr came down the stairs then, probably alerted to the noise outside. "Hizdahr! Call an ambulance! Quickly!" Hizdahr ran back inside.

Dany heard Viserys shouting and then gun shots. His brother was trying to chase down the people responsible for this assassination attempt but they had already escaped. Viserys reached her sister's side then and knelt by Rhaegar's body.

"Viserys! Viserys, help him! Rhaegar, Rhaegar!"

* * *

About an hour later Rhaegar had been brought away in the ambulance and Daenerys was sitting at the bottom of the stairs outside, still shaken. Hizdahr sat silent at her side.

When she noticed Ned Stark making his way towards her, Daenerys glared at him, still angry about what had happened at her wedding. "I swore to myself that I would never speak to you again."

Ned sighed, genuinely regretful. "I'm sorry Dany. For everything that is going on."

Daenerys shook her head. "But why haven't you told me what was happening sooner? Why deceive me? You pretended to be happy for me. You came, on the most important day of my life, to arrest my brothers in front of everyone."

"I couldn't do anything else Dany, I'm sorry. Don't you get it? If there had been another way…"

"I've always considered you almost like a father or my favourite uncle. You used me. You used my marriage as bait. You used our friendship. As long as you conclude your investigation, the rest doesn't matter. You don't care who gets hurt in the process."

"Dany, please, try to understand…"

Daenerys shook her head and ignored him, turning her head away and hiding it in Hizdahr's chest.

* * *

"The phone keeps ringing." Barristan Selmy said, sitting behind his desk in his office. "The mayor called, even the Interior Minister. They're all afraid that Dragonstone will return as it was in the 1990's, when there was a dead on the streets every day. Please, tell me it's not like this, that it's not happening again."

"'You don't know what you're doing.' It's what Jaehaerys Targaryen said when they arrested him." Ned replied, even more serious than usual after his conversation – argument really – with Dany. "He knew that with him out of the way, the power balance would be shattered and it would leave chaos in its wake."

"Who's behind all this mess?"

"The old Mob families. The ones driven away by the Baratheon Family. The runaways. They came from Essos to Dragonstone. Obviously the Baratheons don't like this."

"The message is clear. If you think you can take Dragonstone back, you're deadly wrong. But why attack the Targaryens who don't matter?"

"Maybe because they are the weakest. Or maybe they count much more than what we know."

"Try to find out. If you're right, there's a war coming. And our priority is to stop it before it breaks out."

* * *

Daenerys sat by Rhaegar's bedside in the hospital room that had been assigned to him, waiting patiently for him to wake up. Fortunately, the maesters had said that beside some superficial wounds, Rhaegar had been left relatively unscathed.

"My sweet Dany, how are you feeling?" Rhaegar asked as soon as he woke up.

Dany laughed, tears filling her eyes. "Are you asking _me_ that? _I_ 'm fine."

Rhaegar smiled but then turned immediately serious. "You need to leave, Dany. You need to return to Essos."

Daenerys frowned in confusion. "What do you mean Rhaegar?"

"It was Robert Baratheon. The same one who killed mum and dad. The one who forced us to leave. And he's not going to stop at that."

Daenerys shook her head. "I don't care. I don't care because I'm staying right here, with my family. You just need to tell me what I have to do."

Rhaegar sighed and relented. "Where's Viserys?"

"I don't know. I told Arianne not to worry."

"Find him and tell him to remain calm, not to do anything stupid."

"All right."

"Because that's what our enemies want."

"Well said." A familiar voice said from behind her. Dany turned around and saw Oberyn Martell entering the room. "Wise words." Then he turned towards Rhaegar with a smile, "Who's ever going to be able to kill you?"

"Oberyn." Rhaegar said back. "I'm glad you're here."

"Don't worry. Patience is the virtue of the righteous ones, against those who wants us to switch to the wrong side, and against those cops who have no respect for anything or anyone." Oberyn continued before turning his attention towards Dany. "I'm sorry about your wedding Daenerys."

Daenerys merely nodded back, her mind too occupied with troubling thoughts to really pay attention to what Oberyn was saying.

* * *

Daenerys entered the club she knew she would find Viserys in. Viserys was standing in front of a mirror, shaving. He looked calm in appearance but Daenerys could see the tension in his shoulders and back. He looked like a predator ready to pounce.

"Rhaegar said not to do anything stupid, not to do anything at all, in fact." Daenerys said once she was close enough to him.

"Rhaegar thinks we all are still two-years-old." Viserys replied coldly.

"And do you plan on telling me what is it that you _aren't_ supposed to do?"

"It doesn't concern you."

"Yes, it does. It does concern me since they put a bomb in our house."

"Yeah, therefore stay out of it."

"Well then, maybe I should just return to Braavos." Dany said with bitterness plain in her voice.

"Yeah, you do that. First you need to do something for me though. At home, in the attic, there's a chest with our mother's wedding trousseau. Inside there's a notebook. Take that and give it to Oberyn Martell. You remember him, yeah? The Prince who brought you the horse?" Dany nodded but didn't move. "Well? What are you waiting for? Go! Do what I told you!"

* * *

Daenerys made sure no one else was in the house before venturing to the attic to search for this mysterious notebook. She found it where Viserys had told her she would. Once she opened it, she noticed it was filled with paperclips and notes written by hand. One of those paperclips read: 'Dear Sir, with the wish that you are in good health, I wanted to answer to your last to tell you that those friends from Essos can come back with Our Blessing. And that they will be honored and respected like Our Friends, that the old things are forgotten. I await your response and end by wishing you well and sending you my best regards. May the Gods bless you and protect you.'

Daenerys closed the notebook and got up from the floor she had been sitting on, intent on finally getting some answers.

* * *

"I want to know what the hell is going on!" Daenerys said as soon as she had crossed the threshold of Oberyn Martell's house.

"You've always had guts, Dany. I admire that in you."

Daenerys didn't correct him on the way he had called her, too focused on getting the answers she sought. "What is this?" She waved the notebook in the air.

"Let's just say that it represents the Right for your family to return here in Dragonstone. A Right that could be granted only by the man who wrote that letter."

"Then why are they throwing bombs at us?"

"Because the man who recognized this Right to your brothers is now dead and therefore unable to enforced it. We just have to remind the fact that this Right exists in the first place." Dany nodded, though she was still confused on a lot of things. "So, what are you going to do? You'll leave or you'll stay?"

"What about you? Why did you come back?"

Oberyn shrugged. "Because this is my land. There's my history here, my biggest sorrows. It's not right to be away from it. I want to die here. I too have lost my parents here, my brother and my sister – your aunt in point of fact. A man has the right to mourn their loved ones and the duty to never forget."

Daenerys had to admit that she was very moved by his words but her expression remained indifferent. "Well, I don't know what to do. Rhaegar wants me to leave."

"Rhaegar just wants to protect you because he loves you enough to give up on your help in a difficult moment such as this one. And the Gods only know how much we need you."

* * *

"Look! This is the Targaryens' armory." Ned said to the rest of his team, showing them the rifle he found in the abandoned farmhouse they found thanks to wiretapping the phones of both the Targaryen mansion and the club Viserys owned.

"Ned! Look at this!" Benjen called out. Ned joined his brother and noticed he had found a notebook with list of names and numbers beside every name.

"Here there's every name of the ones who pay protection money to the Targaryens." Ned said with a satisfied smirk on his face.

"And now? What do we do?" Benjen asked him.

"This time, we arrest them all."

* * *

Rhaegar had been finally discharged from the hospital and now he and Daenerys were now driving on the backseats of the limousine that was bringing them back home. Rhaegar was on the phone, Dany sitting next to him, a smile on her face knowing that her favourite brother was well.

"Yeah, okay!" Rhaegar said to the phone before hanging up. He had a serious expression on his face that immediately alarmed Daenerys.

"What's wrong Rhaegar?"

Rhaegar immediately smiled at her. "Nothing's wrong, Dany."

"Then, we're going home, aren't we?"

"We need to stop by a place first."

"Why? What do you need to do?" She hated the fact that she was feeling scared.

"Oh, nothing. I just feel like eating meat pie."

"Are you sure?"

"Why? Can you say no to meat pie?"

Dany laughed. "No." She felt immediately relived and tried to ignore the warning bells ringing in her head.

* * *

"Thank you!" Dany said to the waiter who had brought them their drinks. Then she noticed that Rhaegar looked nervous, or was he impatient? "Is there something wrong, Rhaegar?"

"No, of course not. I was just looking for the bathroom."

"Do you want me to come with you?" Dany immediately asked him.

"I can still manage to go to the loo on my own, Dany. Don't worry." He got up and left the table before saying to her, "Why don't you order for me as well? I'll be right back." And with that he walked away, supposedly towards the bathroom.

* * *

"The bathroom is upstairs." Karl Tanner said without looking behind him, once he heard steps going down the stairs. "You can't stay here!" He could still hear someone walking towards him though so he got up, ready to give whoever it was a piece of his mind but as soon as he saw who it was, he paled.

"I'm sorry boss. I didn't know it was you."

Rhaegar didn't answer and the man gulped before continuing. "Luckily you came. Look at these." He pointed to the numerous money bills on the table he was counting until a few seconds ago.

Rhaegar nodded but before he could answer Tanner received a phone call.

"What? Are you sure?" Tanner hanged up and turned towards Rhaegar with panicked eyes. "We have to leave, right now."

"What the fuck are you saying?"

"The cops are coming."

"Take the money, quick!" Rhaegar ordered without touching the money himself. Tanner tried to pick up as much money as he could but the cops arrived a few seconds later, stopping them both from escaping.

"Stop! Stop!" Benjen Stark ordered. "Put those down!" He said then to Tanner, gun pointed at him. "Put your hands behind your back."

"Lord Commander Stark!" Rhaegar said, his smirk belaying his irritation. "This is the second time you arrested me without a shred of evidence. Aren't you tired yet of looking like a fool?"

Ned glared at him and pointed to the money still on the table. "There's no evidence, hum? What are these then?"

"Is that supposed to be some kind of proof? I challenge you to find one single fingerprint that belongs to me on that. I just came down here to search for a bathroom. Is that a crime now, taking a piss?"

Ned scoffed and said to Benjen, "Take him away!"

Daenerys arrived in that moment. "What are you doing? What the hell are you doing?"

"Ask your friend here what he's doing." Rhaegar said before Benjen dragged him away in handcuffs for the second time in a few days.

"My brother just left the hospital a few hours ago!" She said to Ned with an accusatory tone.

"Yeah?" Ned asked back sarcastically, fed up with the whole situation and taking it out on Daenerys. "And the first thing he does is to come here and meet the man who extorts money on his account."

Dany shook her head in denial, though the doubt was worming its way inside her mind. "I don't know what you're talking about. We came here to eat something. He was looking for the bathroom."

"And these?" Ned asked her, showing them the money on the table. "What are these then?"

"Can't you see? They're banknotes. But we have nothing to do with this."

"You don't but your brothers do. They both extort money from the store owners in the area."

Dany shook her head. "No. It's not true. It can't be true."

"Why don't you open your eyes Daenerys? Why don't you open your eyes?"


End file.
